AUS vs ENG, 2nd ODI: Steve Smith hammers England as Australia pocket series

Australian team celebrating a dismissal [Source: AP]

Josh Hazlewood led Australia for the first time in ODIs and celebrated the occasion with an emphatic win over arch-rivals England. The win also granted the hosts an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, with the third contest set to be played at the MCG on November 22.

Smith, Labuschagne and Marsh power Australia to 280

After Australia won the toss and opted to bat first, openers David Warner and Travis Head failed to re-create their first ODI spectacle, with both batters falling within the first 10 overs of the match.

Steve Smith played a magnificent knock [Source: AP]

Thereafter, Test wizards, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, steadied the ship with crafty half-centuries, with the latter scoring a rapid 58 off just 55 balls. Smith top-scored in the innings with an industrious 94, comprising just 26 runs in boundaries.

Some late hitting from Mitchell Marsh and contributions from the tail extended Australia’s total to a competitive 280-8 from their 50 overs.

For England, new-ball speedsters Chris Woakes and David Willey claimed two wickets each while ace spinner Adil Rashid dismissed three Australian batters in the middle overs.

Starc, Zampa pile on England’s pain with four-fors

England’s run-chase never took off, with two of their top three falling within the first over for ducks. After Jason Roy and Dawid Malan’s early dismissals, James Vince and Sam Billings cracked fighting half-centuries and formed a 122-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Mitchell Starc ripped England apart [Source: AP]

With England comfortably placed at 156-3 at one stage, Mitchell Starc and Adam Zampa triggered a match-changing collapse with hostile four-fors. The visitors eventually lost their final seven wickets for just 52 runs and succumbed to a 72-run hammering at the SCG.

Brief scores

Australia: 280-8 (50)
Steve Smith 94 (114), Marnus Labuschagne 58 (55);
Adil Rashid 3-57 (10), Chris Woakes 2-42 (10)

England: 208 (38.5)
Sam Billings 71 (80), James Vince 60 (72);
Adam Zampa 4-45 (9.5), Mitchell Starc 4-47 (8)

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